ANN ARBOR, Mich. — Michigan football was intent this spring to coerce Amorion Walker into a starting role at cornerback. The only thing is: it was his first time really playing the position at the college level. With a steep learning curve and the Wolverines chasing a championship in 2023, they needed some insurance.
Enter Josh Wallace, who transferred over the summer to Ann Arbor from UMass.
Wallace now has a full fall camp under his belt, and thanks in part to Mike Sainristil, he’s acclimated nicely to the program. And it turns out, he didn’t need much convincing to end up wearing a winged helmet.
“I had texted Josh while he was being recruited,” Sainristil said. “And I told him the opportunity he had. I told him, I said, ‘Look, you wouldn’t be being recruited if coaches didn’t think you could be here, one. Two, you have the opportunity to come in, potentially start at corner. So, take advantage of it if you do decide to come.’ And then when he got here, I told him, I said, ‘Look, be by my side all summer. I promise, I’ll lead you in the right direction’. And he takes me back, he said, ‘I already planned on it!’
“So since he’s gotten here, he’s been like a brother to me. We’ve already gotten close. And I feel like he has a bright future.”
While that speaks well of Wallace finding the right mentor in the building, what kind of player is he?
Sainristil is quite confident in his skills having seen him in action during fall camp. He says he’s willing to put his body on the line to make a play, and he listens to direction when it’s given. If he does, indeed, have the playbook down, the Wolverines can rest easy that they probably have a solid starting cornerback to play opposite Will Johnson.
“Josh, I think he’s a great cover guy,” Sainristil said. “He’s not a guy that’s scared to come down and hit somebody. He’s physical when needed. And he’s a guy that takes coaching. He doesn’t take anything personal. And he’s just got — he’s looking to do the right thing, he’s looking to help however.”
Fans will get their first chance to see Wallace in maize and blue on Saturday, when Michigan hosts East Carolina for the season opener. The game will kick off at noon at The Big House and will be streaming live on Peacock.
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